Clip for trolley-wires



(No Model.)

B. H. BEACH. CLIP FOR TROLLEY WIRES.

No. 556,876. H Patented Mar. 24, 1896.

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UNITED STATES Erica.

PATENT RALPH H. BEACH, OF EAST ORANGE, NEXV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THEWEBSTER dz BEACH, INCORPORATED, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLIP FOR TROLLEY-WIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,876, dated March24, 1896.

Application filed April 17, 1895. Serial No. 546,026. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, RALPH H. BEACH, a citizen of the United States,residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clips forTrolleyires, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved clip for use insecuring trollcywires of electric railways in position; and it consistsin the device hereinafter set forth, comprising pivoted clamping membersadapted to engage and securely hold the trolleywire, and provided withmeans for locking the said members when they are in engagement with thewire, all as more particularly described in the following description ofa device embodying my invention.

The novel features of my invention are pointed out and clearly definedin the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, to which reference is made in thisspecification, Figure 1 is side view of a clip embodying my invention, aportion of one of the clamping members being broken away to show moreclearly the construction and showing a portion of a trolley-wire inposition. Fig. 2 is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 1, thetrolley-wire being in section. Fig. 3 is a similar view with thetrolley-wire omitted,the jaws of the clip being shown as open and theretaining key or locking device withdrawn. Fig. a is a similar view, oneof the jaws being removed. Fig. 5 is a side view of the retaining deviceor key removed. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing a modified form of key.Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the movable clamping member, showing theinside thereof.

My device is simple and will be readily understood from the followingdescription and the accompanying drawings.

Referring to said drawings, A is a boss or socket, into which may bescrewed or otherwise secured the lower end of an insulator connection orother suitable supporting device. The said part A is preferably formedintegral with one of the clamp members B, which is of the shape shownand which is provided, preferably about midwidth thereof, with lugs orprojections which receive the pivoted rod or pin 2, by means of whichthe two clamping members are secured together.

Near the lower edge of the member B is formed lengthwise thereof alongitudinal groove or depression 3, which engages the trolley-wire 4,and between which and a corresponding groove or depression 5 in theother clamping member D the trolley-wire is secured. Near the upper edgeof the clamping member B and lengthwise thereof is formed a groove ordepression (3, and the movable clamping member I) is provided with asimilar groove or depression 7. These grooves or depressions aresubstantially parallel with the grooves which engage the trolley-wire,but are formed with a slight taper from end to end of the said members BDthat is, the opening formed by said grooves between said jaws isgradually smaller in cross-section from one end of the said members tothe other, as shown. The grooves 6 and 7 are formed to receive a key orsecuring device 8, which is formed tapering to correspond to the taperof the opening formed between the grooves 6 and 7.

The walls of the grooves (Sand 7 may be cut away, as shown in Fig. 7,for the purpose of saving metal and reducing the weight of thedevice-that is to say, the tapering pin 8 need not bear upon the membersB D at more than three points, as three points of contact, one at eachend and one in the middle lengthwise of the jaws, will be sufficient togive the securing-pin a firm bearing and lock the jaws when they are ina closed position in engagement with the trolley-wire. By causing thesecuring pin or key to take bearing at both ends, and also intermediatethe latter against the two clamp members, the tendency of the latter tospring is counteracted. The enter in g or small end of the taperedretaining-pin 8 is preferably split, as shown at 9, Fig. 5, so that whenthe pin is forced into position between the members B D the small endthereof, which should project slightly beyond the ends of the saidmembers may be separated, the halves formed by the cut 9 being turned inopposite directions, as indicated by the dotted lines at 10 in said Fig.5. In this way the said retaining-pin may be quickly and effect ivelysecured in place and prevented from working loose. lVhen the pin is tobe with drawn, the outwardly 1 turned ends 10 are straightened orbrought together again, and the pin may then be withdrawn. I

Instead of splitting the smaller end of the retaining-pin 8 and bendingthe halves there of outwardly in the manner described, the said end ofthe pin may be screw-threaded, as shown at 11, Fig.6, anda nut 12screwed onto the said threaded end after the pin is in position betweenthe members B D.

The movable clamp member D is also pro vided with lugs or proj ectio'nsthrough which thepivotal connection or pin 2 passes, the projections onthe said memberD being so arranged with reference to the projections onthe membcrB that the projections on one member will project past and liebeside the projections 011 the other member when the two members aresecured together, as shown in Fig. 1. There are three lugs orprojections on each clamping member through which the pivotal connection2 passes-namely, one at each end of the clamping member and one at anintermediate point. This insures great strength and efficiency in theclip and prevents springing of either member thereof.

The lower edges of the jaws B D, which are provided with grooves 3 and5, which engage with the trolley-wire, are thinned down so as to presentno obstruction to the passage of the trolley, and the said grooves are asufficient size to embrace or engage with a suffieient portion ofthesurfaceof the trolley-wire to prevent the wire from being withdrawnfrom the said grooves when the clamp is closed upon the said wire. Theclip is very easily applied to the trolley-wire and secured, it beingonly necessary to place the trolley-Wire in grooves 3 and 5, insert thekey or retainingpin 8 and drive it firmly home in the tapered grooves 67. The small end of the pin would then project slightly beyond the endof the jaws at the upper edge thereof, as shown, and

the two portions of the split end of the said securing the key firmly inplace. It, istobe noted that the key 8 extends longitudinally I from endto end of the said clamping members and efiectively prevents any'portionor the jaws fromspringing apart when the clips are in engagement withthe trolley-wire.

That I claim is- 1. The combination with the two clampingmembers,provided at both ends and intermediate the latter withcorresponding projections or lugs having pivotal connection to unite thesaid members, grooved along their lower edges to receive thetrolley-wire between them, and also formed along their uper ed es withta erin' rooves to receive between the members a securing device, of atapering securing rod or pin fitting said tapin are then bentin oppositedirections, thus 7 pering grooves and having bearingwithin said groovesat both ends of the members as well as intermediate the ends, to preventthe springing of the members, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the two clamping members, provided at both endsand intermediate the latter with corresponding proj ections or lugshaving pivotal connection to V unite the said members, grooved alongtheir upper edges to receive between the members a securing device, of atapering securing rod or pin fitting said tapering grooves andhavingbearin g within said grooves at both ends of the members as wellas intermediate the ends, to prevent the springing of the members.thesaid rod or pin having the small end thereof split and spread toprevent the retraction of the rod or pin, substantially as described. Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RALPH H. BEACH. lVitnesses:

DALLAS FLANNAGAN, HENRY A. \VIsE.

